Not Just a G’Day – It’s a Great Day For Nathan Stanley!

Aussie Doubles At Busan / Sen Girl wins Donga Ilbo at Seoul

Nathan Stanley kept up his remarkable start to his spell at Busan this afternoon by taking another feature race and doubling his win tally. The Australian jockey has now won on four of his sixteen mounts so far at the track including a Stakes race and now, a Class 1.

Double: Nathan Stanley at Busan

The first race was very much an Australian triumph as he partnered with trainer Peter Wolsley, for whom Stanley won the Owners’ Trophy a fortnight ago on Khaosan, to bring home debut-making colt Hanbaek Finale (Giacomo-Power Pack) by four lengths. It got better later. This time, riding for the other foreign trainer, American Joe Murphy, Stanley produced a last-to-first run on 12/1 shot Deep Desire (Jump Start-Bayou Blues) to win the afternoon’s feature race.

Stanley wasn’t done yet. In the finale, he was a close second on Sagyejeol Wangja (Exploit-Thought), to winner B.B. Chant (War Chant-Bravo Bravo). B.B. Chant was ridden by Akane Yamamoto, meaning that both foreign trainers and both foreign jockeys scored winners.

Nathan Stanley has big boots to fill as he replaced Toshio Uchida, a man with almost legendary status among Korean punters. He couldn’t have had a better start though. Two of his winners have come from Peter Wolsley and now one from Joe Murphy. If he keeps this win-rate up, the local trainers won’t be able to ignore him for long. The owners won’t let them.

For Joe Murphy, it was also a milestone win. It was his second feature race win and came on the weekend marking his first anniversary of training in Korea. In that first year, he’s had just seven winners. however, he will look at Wolsley, who also spent his first year with an unenviable string and through hard-work and perseverance has made it to the top. The quality of horses in Murphy’s stable has improved and his second year should be more fruitful than his first.

Up at Seoul, the big race was the Donga Ilbo Cup and it went the way of 10/1 chance Sen Girl (Strodes Creek-Badgering Shari). The three-year old filly made up seven places in the home straight to hit the front just metres from the line and record a half-length victory over long-shot Persona. With another outsider coming third in the shape of Gyemyeongui Bit, it made for a trio payout of 1289/1.

Next week it’s the big one. The Minister’s Cup, the final leg of the Korean Triple Crown is at Seoul on Sunday October 2. The KRA Cup Mile winner, the Derby winner and the Oaks winner will all be there.